News

PU China 2015 took place in the Poly World Trade Center Expo in Guangzhou on August 31st - Septmber 2nd.

September 9, 2015

Guangzhou sits in the heart of China’s PU market clusters and, as such, is the ideal venue for this industry conference. PU China is the most established annual event for the polyurethanes market in the region, with over 200 exhibitors and close to 10,000 attendees.

The expanding middle class in China is driving demand for comfort, refrigeration and insulation along with other products such as synthetic leather, key applications for polyurethanes.

Patrick presented data to illustrate how BioAmber Inc.’s bio-based succinic acid can be used as a new building block chemical in polyurethane applications, to provide differentiated performance and improved sustainability, across a range of applications from coatings to elastomers. BioAmber Inc.’s presentation highlighted the unique benefits of BioAmber succinic acid in TPU’s for footwear applications, textile coatings, as well as synthetic leather, providing the example of the new Impranil eco product line for synthetic leather from Covestro (previously Bayer Material Sciences), as well as the benefits that bio-based succinic acid provides in PU leather applications from other producers; for example of the new Sertex synthetic leather fabric using polyester polyol made with BioAmber Inc. bio-based succinic acid, and DuPont Tate & Lyle BioProducts' Susterra bio-based 1,3-propanediol. This new fabric has demonstrated improved scratch resistance and a softer touch than synthetic leather fabrics made with petroleum-derived chemicals, and has 70% renewable content.

Hui Zhao, Applications Development Manager, Asia for BioAmber Inc. also attended the conference where BioAmber Inc. had a booth to meet prospective customers, and discuss the benefits of bio-based succinic acid in polyurethanes. BioAmber’s partners for the Sarnia plant, Mitsui & Co., also participated in the conference.

BioAmber Inc. opened the world’s largest bio-based succinic acid plant in Canada, in August, with 30,000 metric ton capacity, to establish a robust supply chain and serve the growing market for sustainable chemicals.